Snow etc, on the eve of St Bridget's Day

This weekend has us looking forward to more awful weather.  We're promised gales and rain with a drop in temperatures and the chance of snow.

Well, we've already had a dusting of snow this evening.  Tomorrow will see the forecasted storm reach its peak.  I've signd up for a free weather alert text service from Clare County Council.  had three texts yesterday and today. They take it seriously.

Still no more work done in the garden, but seeds are arriving almost every day.  Later posts will rate the sellers we've used in terms of value, speed of service and postal charges.

Here are the promised rhubarb pictures.

This rhubarb crown had become hollow

inside.  It was so old.

"I'm Rhubarbicus!"

One crown was successfully divided into about seven plants, each with three or four shoots.

Let's talk about the weather.

My goodness!  Such winds.

We've had wind, rain, hail and something very much like snow today and the odd rumble of thunder too.  Our phone was unplugged for a while as a precaution and the feed from the satellite dish removed from the back of the box.  Lightening has fried our equipment twice in the last year, so we don't feel like taking chances.

Kinvara Farmers' Market is holding its"Christmas" dinner tonight in the town.  We have chosen not to attend due to the weather. It is truly foul and potentially dangerous.

Once this current spate of inclement weather subsides, we'll feel more inclined to do a bit more in the garden.  For now, it's batten down the hatches and sit by the stove.

Incidentally, I was chuffed to see that the brothers have "liked" the new Beagh Herbs FB page.  Don't know where this'll take us, but we'll give it a go.

Still very damp, but change is on the way. Beginning to think about getting busy.

Here we are...24th January 2014.  Happy New Year!

It's been quite some time since we last tapped-in an entry.  So what has sparked this renewed interest in the blog?

We've decided to set up a Facebook page, for our sins, and as FB wanted a website, we thought we'd use this one and one thing led to another so why not try again to catalogue our horticultural eforts?

We have started to do things, albeit slowly.  January is a cruel month and one not suited to much enterprise.  We have begun to divide our old rhubarb plants.  Thus long-overdue task entailed giving the beds a serious weeding, uprooting the rhubarb and slicing the crowns with a spade so that each new section has two or three shoots.

Some of these will be re-planted in the garden and others put into pots for sale.

It continues to be very wet outside and not conducive to happy gardening.  However, there are things to be done in the tunnels to prepare them for the start of propagation.  We sow chillies in mid-February on soil-warming cables set to around 27 degrees C.  We cover the whole bed in plastic too providing a warm and humid environment for the chillies.  Still, we're not there yet.  Our seed orders are going in now. Plenty of time to get the tunnels ready.

After the chilli successes brought on by last year's summer, we have hopes for another good season this year. Look out for some lovely specimens and a few very hot ones as well.  Fingers crossed.

Hopefully we'll post some rhubarb pictures soon.